Atreyu
Atreyu is a Fantasian from the race of the Plains People. He hunts the Purple Buffalo and was chosen by the Childlike Empress to go on The Great Quest. The NeverEnding Story Atreyu was told to go on a quest to save the Childlike Empress from death. After reaching the Swamps of Sadness, Atreyu's horse, Artax, drowned in the swamps, leaving Atreyu disconsolate. Morla, a giant turtle, told Atreyu to go to the Southern Oracle, but it was 10,000 miles away. Atreyu nearly drowns in the swamp but is saved by Falkor the Luckdragon. Explaining that he was carried 9,891 miles while unconscious, Falkor encouraged Atreyu to go through the Sphinx Gate. As a knight was killed, Atreyu made it through safely. He then reached the next gate, actually seeing Bastian, a boy who was reading the book. Reaching the Southern Oracle, they told Atreyu to give the Empress a name. They also stated, while collapsing, and later, dying, that only a human child can give the Empress the name. As Falkor and Atreyu flew over The Nothing, an unknown storm of some sort separated them. Atreyu then encountered the Gmork, a wolf that was sent to kill Atreyu. Admitting that he was the warrior, Atreyu killed the wolf with a stone slab, using it as a knife. Atreyu got blown away, and saved by Falkor at the last second. Admitting grief to the Empress, the Nothing destroys the Ivory Tower, and knocks Atreyu unconscious. He was last seen riding Artax, who survived. The Next Chapter Atreyu was played by 15-year-old Kenny Morrison in the 1990 film. Atreyu entered Silver City, meeting Bastian, and they agreed to go to the castle that looks like a hand, where the giants came from. When Bastian wished for a dragon to lead them to the castle, it backfired, and they gave chase on Falkor and Artax. Atreyu and Bastian reached the castle, and met Pyornkrachzark, and his son Junior. Organizing a plan, Atreyu sneaked past the fire arrows, but Bastian got caught in one of the beams. Atreyu used the Auryn to deflect the beams from killing Bastian. Bastian managed to get inside, but Atreyu was caught by the guards. As he dangled from wiring over a shaft of lava, a giant cut the rope, and Bastian helped him up. They met Xayide, the Emptiness, and they made their way towards the Ivory Tower. As Atreyu began to feel worried about Bastian with Xayide, Bastian told him not to worry. Xayide later told Bastian that his friends had turned against him. That night, he put on an invisibility belt, and Atreyu saw the memory-collecting machine that Xayide had built, and every time Bastian made a wish, he lost one of his memories. Personally fearing that Bastian would be consumed by the Emptiness, he told Falkor that he should take the Auryn away from him. Falkor told Atreyu not to tell Bastian in anger, but to rather warn him. Little did they know that Bastian had spied on them. Atreyu climbed some rocks, and saw Xayide sending out guards. Bastian confronted Atreyu about the Auryn, that it was in his possesion, and that Atreyu was jealous. Atreyu tried to explain, but Bastian dared him to take the Auryn if he could. Atreyu fought Bastian over it, and Bastian gripped Atreyu's shoulder and shoved him over the cliff, as he plunged 3 stories of rock. Bastian was horrified for a few seconds but then shouted, "You've brought this on yourself!" Coming to, he realized that everything Atreyu said was true, but Falkor flew Atreyu's dead body away to Silver City. When Bastian reached there, everything had burned to the ground and he sacrificed the beloved memory of his mother for Atreyu, who had little to no life left. When Atreyu realized that Bastian had sacrificed his mother's memory for his life, he scolded Falkor for not trying to stop Bastian from doing it. Trivia * The makeup team on The Neverending Story planned to paint Noah Hathaway green just as Atreyu is in the book, but the effect didn't work, so they went without it. Hathaway later said "It wasn't believable. I looked like fungi!" * He was played by 11-year-old Noah Hathaway in the first film and by Kenny Morrison in the sequel. Category:Fantasians Category:Characters Category:Plains People